It’s been an interesting week, this first official Empty Nest week.  The cat is doing his best to convince us that the nest is NOT empty, that he is still here and that he needs attention and he needs it now.  But clearly it’s not the same – you can’t throw a child out the back door and come back 8 hours later, lah dee dah.  Captain Stupidhead has a lot to say, but if you keep him fed the rest is easy.

Mr Maui Stamper and I are doing the same things we did when there were chickens in the nest, but it feels different now.  I’m not thinking about what the family wants or needs, I’m thinking about the present.  We were married for 6 years before we had our first child, and that BC (Before Children) lifestyle is a comfortable fit.  Of course, our kids are an enormous part of our lives, and we are in touch with them often, but they aren’t on my To-Do list now.  Well, they are of course…there’s a wedding early next year, and plane tickets for Thanksgiving…but it’s not an every day type of thing.

You would think that I would have stamped up a storm by now, but the sad truth is that my stamp studio has been a scene of absolute and atrocious chaos since before convention.  I’ve been up here a couple of times trying to make progress.  Finally last night I got serious with the heaps, bits and pieces, methodically working through the mess.  It was a late night, but I’m happy to report success.  There’s still some work to do – I have a number of brand new sets that aren’t put together – but I can think in here.

I have a card to share, too.  I didn’t make it last night, but a couple of days ago.  A friend of ours lost his dad, and though it wasn’t unexpected, the loss of someone dear weighs on your heart.  I remember when my grandmother died at the age of 92 – she didn’t remember us any more, and she wasn’t the same energetic woman I’d grown up with, but still when she died I was sad to realize we wouldn’t make any new memories together.  Fortunately, I have wonderful memories of both of my grandmothers, and those stories help to define who I am.

• Thoughts and Prayers, Artistic Etchings, and Teeny Tiny Wishes stamp sets
• Naturals Ivory and Soft Suede card stock
• Baja Breeze and Crumb Cake FFIP
• Baja Breeze Stampin’ Write marker
• Baja Breeze Seam Binding
• Oval and Small oval (retired) punches
• Stampin’ Dimensionals

I’m really sorry that Stampin’ Up! retired that small oval punch, and I’m a bit stubborn about giving mine up as a result.  You could just use the regular oval and ink up the edges, but that’s not what I wanted.  Well.   And that’s that.

And here I was going to say something about embracing change…